CM Vijayan, Indian Ambassador to US discuss bringing investments to Kerala

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Indian Ambassador to the United States Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Wednesday held discussions on bringing more investments to the state and the assistance that the embassy can provide for it.

The ambassador, during the discussion, said there was a potential for investments in the defense and space sectors and for collaboration in the field of pharmaceutical vaccines, a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said.

Vijayan also tweeted about the meeting, saying it was "productive".

"Had a productive meeting with the Indian Ambassador to the US, @SandhuTaranjitS. We discussed the vital aspects of investments and collaborations for Kerala's progress and explored exciting opportunities across various sectors like space, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and tourism." he tweeted.

Vijayan and Sandhu, during their meeting, also deliberated on sending health workers to America, improving their nursing education to better their standards and collaborating with American companies, the CMO statement said.

They were also of the view that there was great potential for cooperation in the field of tourism, especially medical tourism which could help to promote Ayurveda, it said.

Besides, the two also deliberated on elevating the education sector in Kerala to international standards and how it can be achieved by collaborating with university professors in the American Malayali diaspora.

"There was also a discussion on collaboration between American companies and Kerala in the fields of IT Innovation, Start Up, Renewable Energy, Green Hydrogen and many others," the statement said.

Sandhu promised all the necessary assistance to Kerala and also offered the embassy support to bring more American investments to Kerala and take necessary steps to increase cooperation between educational institutions in Kerala and the United States, it said.

The CM said that all necessary measures will be taken by the Kerala government also.

Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal, Chief Secretary Dr V P Joy and others also participated in the meeting between the CM and the ambassador.

After concluding his nearly a week long US visit, Vijayan left for Cuba, the statement said,

Indian Consul General in New York Randhir Jaiswal accompanied the CM Minister and his delegation to the airport to see them off, it said.

Vijayan will participate in various events in Havana on Thursday and Friday.

He will meet with various dignitaries and also visit places of historical importance including the Jose Marti National Monument, the CMO statement said.